BuddyRoo - I think you do labs correct? If so, it looks like our breeder (British Labs) may be looking to place a couple of his adult females in a home. We love our dogs, and I can’t say enough good things about the dogs we’ve gotten from him. If you are interested PM me and I’ll pass along his information, and you can check him out.
All my dogs but one I got as puppies. My last one is now 8 months old and I will never get another puppy. I no longer have the energy and patience required to look after a puppy.
I have only owned two dogs in my life, both rescues. One adopted at 4 yrs. old and my current one, 10 or 11 yrs. old. Both settled into our routine immediately and tried their hardest to please.
Puppies are adorable, but require more time than I can give. Plus, I’d rather fix a dog’s issues than admit I screwed up a dog I’ve had since a puppy.
Four years ago I had this same debate. I decided to go with a puppy because I have young grandchildren and felt it would be a better plan to have the puppy grow up with children, learning acceptable behavior.
So I bought a 3 month old Aussie from a local breeder.
She is wonderful with my grandkids, and everyone else, for that matter. But the first year was a test. She was housebroken in one day. I was thrilled. But she chewed up throw pillows, carpet edges, anything she could find, including my cell phone (the remains of which are now displayed on the “Wall of Shame” at my local Verizon store). She wouldn’t come when called. Was basically a holy terror.
But when I took her to puppy class she was the star pupil. A glimmer of hope!
At the one year mark things changed. Her annoying puppy behaviors went away. She’s brilliant, funny, hilarious, my shadow.
I was able to put up with all the bad because she was mine, and I loved her funny personality in spite of her normal puppy craziness. I couldn’t have done it with someone else’s dog…no way.
